Noble M12 GTO

The brainchild of Leicester-based engineer Lee Noble, the fabulous Noble M12 GTO was a Ferrari-slaying supercar that first hit the showrooms in 2000. 

Basically a racecar for the road, it was powered by a mid-mounted Ford-sourced 2.5-litre V6 with twin turbos boosting the output to 310bhp and 320lb/ft of torque. With a lightweight spaceframe chassis and composite bodywork, it weighed only 980kg and could sprint to 60mph in just 3.9 seconds, 100mph in 9.4 seconds and hit 165mph flat out. Costing under £50,000 it could run rings around virtually every other car on the road.

Journalists were unanimous in their praise for the car, Auto Express calling it “a seriously impressive piece of kit, one of the most exciting cars we have ever driven” with “pin sharp steering and racecar feel and looks,” while Jeremy Clarkson declared it “the finest handling car I have ever driven” and “better than cars costing ten times as much.” Add in the sonic barrage soundtrack of whistling turbos and wailing exhaust, and you get one of the most exciting driving experiences imaginable.

First registered in June 2002, this particular car looks sensational in light metallic blue and has only covered some 16,500 miles from new. Always impeccably maintained, it comes with a large history file and was fitted with a new stainless steel exhaust system in November 2010 that cost over £1,400.

Supplied with all its original handbooks, it comes with an MOT until January 2014 with no advisories recorded. This is one of those cars that every true petrolhead should aspire to own at least once in their lifetime – it will have you leaping out of bed on a Sunday morning just for the sheer thrill of driving it. Come on, you only live once…